Muggle Primary School
by bainnebui
Summary: A new law has been passed that forces all magical children to attend a muggle primary school before Hogwarts. But Harry's memories of his own primary school days mean he isn't too eager to send his own children.


'They're not going.'

'We really don't have much choice in the matter,' a disgruntled Ginny told her husband Harry Potter. He was furious. She hadn't expected a reaction like this. 'It's the law.'

'It's a stupid law,' Harry huffed.

'You do realise Hermione worked on the board that passed the law.'

'I appreciate the work that Hermione is doing but I honestly don't think this law is of any benefit for anyone.'

'I personally think it's a good idea.'

Harry gave his wife a death stare. Did she not understand the consequences of this law? His kids wouldn't be treated the same, the muggles would know something was off about them and they'd be relentlessly bullied. He voiced these opinions to Ginny.

'Do you honestly think that James would let any muggle child bully him? I'm more worried about how he'll treat them; and that's why it's a great idea. We need our younger generation to realise that muggles aren't any different than us. Superiority is what got us into trouble in the past.'

'Our children know that muggles aren't any different,' Harry argued. 'We can send them to Dudley and his family for a few days to experience real muggle life. They don't need to join a muggle primary school.'

'Well they're going,' Ginny said firmly. 'There's no exceptions.'

'Maybe I'll use the fact that I killed Voldemort to my advantage for once,' Harry muttered darkly. 'I'd like to see them say no to the Boy Who Lived.'

Ginny laughed, 'I'd like to see you actually use that against them. Maybe fight for something more important like more holiday time.'

Harry confronted Hermione about the initiative for all wizarding children to attend muggle primary schools.

'Oh Harry, didn't you read the pamphlets that were sent out?' she said exasperated. 'No, of course you didn't.' She sighed. 'I knew you'd have a problem with the W.I.M.P.S initiative.'

'I'm sorry,' Ron interrupted. 'WIMPS? Your initiative thing is called WIMPS?' He began to hoot with laughter. 'Honestly, Hermione, first SPEW and now WIMPS, you really need to sort out your acronyms.'

'It's not WIMPS, Ronald. It's W.I.M.P.S. Wizards In Muggle Primary Schools,' Hermione answered haughtily. 'Honestly, don't you listen?'

'W.I.M.P.S has been set up to create an awareness of muggle culture. The amount of times I've been humiliated in public with Ronald here because he doesn't know what a television is.'

'Oi, I know what a tel-thing is.'

Hermione ignored Ron and continued with her speech. 'Our worlds are mixing more and more since the war. Half muggle families are rather common these days. Understanding muggles will help to make this more prominent and bring us into a new era where blood status means nothing. There will be no purebloods left.' Harry was starting to see her point of view.

'It's mostly for old pure blood families if we're going to be honest,' Hermione continued. 'They raise their children to think they're better than muggles. This was Voldemort's paradigm and it needs to be changed. If their kids grow up with an understanding of muggles and even muggle friends they won't have any superiority. It's a step towards a brighter future.'

Harry couldn't deny that it made sense. The fact that Hermione admitted it was targeting pureblood families made it seem more viable as an initiative. Hermione knew how to convince Harry of something; by telling him it would stop animosity and prevent further trouble. She knew him too well.

Harry wasn't ready to let it go. 'But what about accidental magic? There will be a lot of slip ups if young children are surrounded by muggles all day. What's more, they won't know to keep quiet about magic.'

'We had considered this, but it was agreed that the benefits outweigh the possible disasters. There would be certain exceptions made. Children like Teddy for example would be exempt from the rule. There would be no guaranteeing that he would be able to control his hair colour.'

Harry sighed, 'Why can't all my children be metamorphmagus?'

Hermione took in Harry's dejected demeanour. 'Harry, why are you so against this?' she asked carefully.

'I've been to a muggle primary school, Hermione,' he said quietly. 'I know what it's like. Magic children won't be treated the same. They'll be outcasts. I was.'

'Oh, Harry,' Hermione said wrapping her arms around him. 'I should have known it would be something like that.'

'But, mate, was it not because of Dudley that nobody liked you?' Ron pointed out.

'Ronald,' admonished Hermione.

'Well, it was,' Harry agreed. 'But I feel like it would have been the same otherwise. I wasn't like them. Hermione, you must have felt it too.'

Hermione looked uncomfortable. 'Yes, I didn't really fit in,' she admitted. 'But I always thought it was because I was much smarter than my peers. It won't be the same for our kids, Harry. They're a lot more confident and sure of themselves than we ever were.'

'You're right,' Harry sighed. 'I guess our kids are going to a muggle primary school.'

'This is going to be so much fun!' squealed Hermione. 'They'll get to wear uniforms and bring home homework. Oh, and we'll get to go to school plays and join the parents committee and…'

'This is so cool,' James said for the twentieth time during the short car journey to the primary school in the nearest village. 'Teddy had to wait until Hogwarts to go to school but we get to go now!' Eight year old James had taken the news of going to school well. Harry had to tell him that it wouldn't be much like Hogwarts which had only deterred him for a moment.

'I'm going to join the school Quidditch team and be captain and chaser,' he said excitedly.

'No, you won't,' Ginny interjected. 'They're muggles, remember? They don't know what Quidditch is and you're not going to be the one to tell them.'

'What will I do for fun then?'

Ginny shrugged and gave Harry a look. 'Eh, I suppose you'll play football or something like that,' he said. Having attended a muggle primary school, Harry was the source of the family's knowledge.

'Football,' James sniffed. 'That's that boring game that Charlie and Edward make us play when we visit.' Charlie, Edward and Eleanor were Dudley's children. They were nine, seven and five respectably. Harry and Dudley had never become close but both insisted that their children at least know each other. Unfortunately, their children were very different often leading to arguments. Needless to say, they didn't enjoy visiting their cousins.

'I do hope I make loads of new friends,' five year old Lily said.

'I'm sure you'll make loads of friends,' Ginny smiled at her daughter. 'Can I invite them over for a party?' she asked sweetly. Harry laughed. 'Of course you can, Lily.'

James and Lily talked incessantly about their new school for the rest of the journey, describing what they were going to do, learn and the friends they were going to make. Harry was beginning to think that it wouldn't be so bad until he realised Albus wasn't saying anything.

They finally arrived at the school and the three kids piled out of the back. They stood together staring at the old whitewashed building. There were already children running around in the playground. Girls huddled together chatting and playing with a skipping rope. The boys were running around in the centre of the playground chasing after a football. James and Lily excitement had morphed into the fear that Albus had been feeling the whole time.

'Bye Mummy and Daddy,' Lily said determinedly. She swung her empty schoolbag over her back, pushed back her shoulders and marched confidently over to a group of girls around her age that had a large skipping rope.

Harry and Ginny watched in awe as their tiny daughter began chatting with the girls. She said something that made them giggle and within moments Lily was jumping rope with them, her flaming red hair swinging as she did.

Harry and Ginny exchanged a shocked glance. James was scanning the playground for some boys his own age. He clearly wanted to prove that he could make friends just as easy as Lily could.

'I'm going to play football,' he said determinedly.

'But you hate football,' Albus pointed out.

James shrugged. 'I have to play something instead of Quidditch, Al. I'll see you later Mum and Dad.' James ran over to the centre of the playground. 'Oi, kick it here,' he shouted at the boy who had the ball. The boy complied and James was part of the game.

'Ok, Al, we're going to have to leave you,' Ginny said to their younger son. Albus looked at the ground. 'I don't know how to make friends,' he said quietly.

Harry bent over to Albus' level. 'Just go over there and be yourself,' he advised. 'I don't know why the other kids wouldn't like you. You have nothing to worry about.' He gave his seven year old a hug. Ginny handed him his bag and gave him a tight hug.

'Be good now,' she warned. 'And watch out for Lily. I don't think James will be looking out for her so it's your job to be the big brother.' Albus nodded.

'I'll see you later.'

He walked slowly to a group of children who were looking at something in the grass. He stood nervously outside the circle before taking in a deep breath and talking to them. Harry and Ginny watched as the children welcomed him into their group. Within seconds Albus was smiling.

'Are you still worried about them?' Ginny asked.

'Not at all.'


End file.
